Early Home Video Footage of Heritage USA, July 1987- Vid #4

Keep in mind almost everything you see in this video is now completely gone. This is how Heritage USA looked in July 1987, when I had an opportunity to go for a visit with some friends.

The tennis courts were part of what was known as Recreation Village, which also included such things as a swimming pool, miniature golf, a skating rink, a carousel, small restaurants and an ice cream shop, antique car rides, the main train depot and all sorts of other activities. Jim's idea of Heritage USA was for a park where you didn't need to leave the grounds of the park to occupy ones time while vacationing. He wanted to offer all sorts of things to do for people of all ages. That's the main reason he built the waterpark.

The road that the tram is on at :17 still existed in 2009, but had been blocked off and wasn't being used. The road went down a slight hill, then swung around to the left upon entering a huge parking lot adjacent to the barn (the church auditorium) and broadcast studio, which is largely intact, and still looks today pretty much as it does in this video.

The sign for Heritage Village Church has been changed to something like The Broadcast Group. I think I mistakenly put it twice in this video. Shortly afterwards, you'll see me goofing off with the camera. After that, you can hear the tram driver mention the Upper Room, although it is not visible in this video (it's on the opposite side of the road). Visible next is the ampithetheatre, and on the other side of that is a camping area, which is still in use.

At 4:35 the tram is going over a bridge which I believe was for trams only. It still exists, but is blocked off and isn't used. At 5:51 I pass an antique-style popcorn vending machine which I believe is still on the site of the HGH today. I believe it is the same one I recorded in one of my 2009 videos, immediately outside (what used to be) the Partner Center cafeteria.

The green structure at 6:04 was the main train depot next to recreation village, and the brown building next to it, at 6:25 was the Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor. There was also an ice cream store on Main Street.

The Goodie Barn was a sort of cheesy (I thought) discount store, full of low-priced overstock items such as records & tapes. Much of what I saw in there appeared to be manufacturer's discontinued items, boxes of unsold record albums and all sorts of cheap imported items. I wasn't overly impressed with the Goodie Barn.

Here, my camera lost audio. There is absolutely no way to know that there is a problem when you are recording until you get back and actually play the tape, and only then you realize it's too late to do anything about it, so from here on out it's video only, with no audio.

Next you see a train crossing the wood bridge as it comes from behind the waterpark.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Heritage
• USA
• PTL
• park
• complex
• South
• Carolina
• SC
• Charlotte
• water
• grand
• hotel
• July
• 1987
• Todd
• Skidmore

[mkforu]

Wow, what a trip down memory lane.....thanks for sharing.

[adina2003]

Used to be so nice !! We used to go all the time